Shelby and Shauna Kitt and the Dimensional Holes. P. H. C. Marchesi

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СКАЧАТЬ will not see her,” said Lendox. “They will only see her trail – if they even see that much. I have instructed her to drop us off, and go back to Miriax for the time being.”

      “Too bad,” muttered Shelby, his voice drenched in disappointment.

      Shauna, Marina, and Lendox exchanged amused glances.

      “Are your eyes beginning to focus?” asked Lendox, suppressing a smile.

      “Yeah, finally,” said Shelby. “Did the lights just turn pink?”

      “They did,” said Lendox. “We have arrived at the hospital.”

      “Wow, Loola’s fast,” said Shelby, as an involuntary yawn forced itself on him. It was incredibly late, and he found himself wishing that he could just go to bed, and deal with whatever it was that they had to do later. Shauna too, looked drowsy as she held on to Marina’s arm to form the energy chain.

      “You guys look like you’re fading fast,” said Marina. “Come on – we just need to do this, and then you can crash.”

      “Crash into what?” asked Lendox, worriedly, as he picked up Fran.

      “It’s just an expression,” explained Marina. “No one’s going to crash onto anything – well, except maybe onto a bed.”

      “That sounds dangerous,” said Lendox. “No wonder you need hospitals.”

      “Forget I said it,” replied Marina, holding on to the vice consul’s arm and completing the energy chain. “It’s too late to explain, anyway.”

      As they stepped out of the roomix, Shelby and Shauna were both too tired to ask any questions, or to notice the hospital corridor with faded linoleum floors and harsh fluorescent lights. They were so exhausted that soon everything that happened felt like a dream. They stood by, in a sleepy stupor, as doctors came to meet them and took Fran away. Then they mindlessly followed Marina and Lendox to some sort of visitor area, and dozed off until they were finally allowed to go into Fran’s room.

      “How long do you think she’ll be like this?” asked Shauna, gazing at her mother’s serene face.

      “I do not know,” said Lendox. “I have never healed anyone who was attacked by a klodian before.”

      “Why don’t we get some sleep?” Marina suggested. “They’ve arranged two rooms for us next door. I guess Shauna can stay with me, and Shelby can –”

      “And leave mom by herself?” asked Shauna, feeling a lot more awake all of a sudden. “No way. There’s an empty bed here that no one’s using.”

      “Yeah, and a pullout chair over there,” said Shelby, yawning. “I’m already used to it.”

      “Suit yourselves, then,” said Marina. “I’m too tired to argue - good night.”

      “Tippy can stay here with us, right?” asked Shauna.

      Tippy’s ears, followed by the rest of her little face, finally ventured out of Shauna’s backpack. Marina’s astonished look revealed that she had completely forgotten about the stowaway feline.

      “Tippy can stay in my roomix,” offered Lendox. “It is very spacious, and you can visit as often as you like.”

      “But a cat needs food and water, Lendox,” said Marina, nervously. “And she’ll need a litterbox, which is where cats –”

      “The roomix will provide for whatever she needs,” said Lendox. “It senses the needs of any life-form aboard it. I believe Tippy will even get some entertainment when we are not there. Would you like to come with me, Tippy?”

      Tippy sprang from Shauna’s backpack, trotted cheerfully over to Lendox, and jumped on his lap.

      “I guess it is a yes,” he said, affectionately. “Good night, Shelby and Shauna Kitt.”

      “Do you think mom will be ok here, Lendox?” asked Shauna. “What if there are any more klodians?”

      “I will be in the room next door. No klodian could come anywhere near this hospital without me sensing it. Besides, your mother’s negative energy has left her system. Even if she were awake, she would not attract a klodian. They would not know where she is, even if they were looking for her.”

      He gave them a reassuring smile, and left. Shauna, feeling perfectly safe all of a sudden, climbed into her bed, and Shelby crawled onto the pullout chair.

      “Sleep tight, guys,” said Marina, as she closed the door. “Who knows? Maybe your mom will be awake tomorrow morning!”

      The next morning, however, Fran was still asleep. She did not wake up that day, or the following day, or the day after that. Five days passed, and still there was no sign that she would regain consciousness anytime soon.

      “It’s too bad you don’t have anyone who could stay with her,” said Marina. “Isn’t there a relative in Chicago you could call?”

      “I don’t think so,” said Shelby, hopelessly.

      “What about grandparents?” asked Marina.

      “Nope,” replied Shauna.

      “That’s going to make things harder,” said Marina. She and Lendox traded worried glances, and Shauna and Shelby immediately understood that their time was running out.

      “We’re gonna have to leave her here, won’t we?” asked Shauna.

      “You do not have to do anything you do not want to,” said Lendox. “However, Marina and I must leave tomorrow, and you must choose whether you are coming with us or not.”

      “‘Course I’m coming,” said Shelby, with determination. “Shauna?”

      Shauna hesitated. In the past few days, Lendox had told them about the mission against Klodius, and Shelby had immediately volunteered – of course he had. Shelby never thought anything through. She, on the other hand, had the hardest time making any decision quickly, and this one seemed to be getting harder by the moment. She looked at her mother: what if she woke up and no one was there? But what if she didn’t wake up anytime soon? Then Shauna would miss the chance to go on the mission, and would let down the only people who had ever believed in her.

      “Me too,” she said, finally. “Shelby can’t do anything without me.”

      “Whatever!”

      The next day, Shelby and Shauna said their good-byes to Fran and followed Marina and Lendox to the roof of the hospital, where a helicopter waited to take them to a military base in an undisclosed location.

      “You look worried, Shelby,” said Lendox, seeing him lag behind. “Is something wrong?”

      Shelby was caught off guard by this – he did not think Lendox had noticed. The mirian vice consul, however, seemed to be waiting for an answer as he looked at Shelby from behind the sunglasses that hid his lilac eyes.

      “I just remembered that I get sick on anything that moves,” confessed СКАЧАТЬ